


Cigarettes and Dark Rooms

by stellar_zombie



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Affairs, Anal Sex, Art, Cheating, F/M, First Time, Homophobic Slurs, M/M, Oral Sex, Photography, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 00:55:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2249847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellar_zombie/pseuds/stellar_zombie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a business trip to Paris, Frank can't get that one shot - that one picture to really make his portfolio stand out. When he takes a picture of a man simply smoking under the trees, it changes his portfolio, giving him that money shot.<br/>But before Frank can talk to the man, he's gone.</p><p>When Frank sees the man again, it's two years later. Frank's married and has a baby boy. But that man is a work of art and Frank cannot get enough of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A very good friend of mine, Jen, came up with this adorable idea. I really hope I can do it justice. Enjoy!
> 
> My first couple chapters always start off a little short, but it will pick up!

Four weeks in Paris and Frank hasn’t…he hasn’t gotten that _money_ shot. That one picture that will really win his buyers over. That one picture that will knock everyone out of the park. That one fucking picture that will make people shiver from how fucking gorgeous it is.

Frank’s walking along the bridge opposite of the Eiffel Tower. There’s a little Merry-Go-Round that Frank takes a couple pictures of from different angles. He smiles. It’s good, real good. With a little editing he could have a real great shot.

But not that _one_ shot that would make his portfolio stand out.

Frank turns and sees an officer on a horse. Smiling to himself, he captures that moment as well. But something catches his eye – a streak of black and snow white skin. Frank holds his camera up, snapping a picture of a man, leaning against one of the perfectly square cut trees, a person selling bunnies next to him. He’s got a coffee in one hand a burning cigarette in the other. Frank looks down at his camera and grins at the picture.

 _Yes_. That’s the one.

When Frank looks back up, the man is gone, his cigarette now burning on the ground.

 

*

 

It’s about two years later. Frank is laughing and taking pictures of his son in the park. Cade is swinging on the monkey bars, a smile painted wide on his face.

“C’mon! We have that birthday party to go to!” Jamia calls and starts packing up their stuff. Frank helps Cade down and puts his camera away.

“Hey I need to take a couple pictures down by the lake. I’ll meet you at the party in an hour,” Frank tells her and Jamia nods. He kisses her cheek and starts walking to the lake.

The sun is out, though clouds litter the sky, wisps of feathers. The New Jersey sky always makes Frank feel good and warm inside. He takes the lens cap off his camera and raises it, taking a picture of the shadows the trees cast onto the grass. He turns quickly when a bunny runs by. Wasting no time, Frank gets a picture of that as well, though it’s a little blurred. Frank smiles as the little brown bunny hops away.

_There it is again._

A streak of black as Frank turns. There’s a man hunched against a tree, a Starbucks coffee next to him, a cigarette between his lips and a sketchpad in his lap. Frank snaps a quick picture and starts walking closer.

 _He must be sketching the lake_ , Frank thinks to himself. But as he gets closer to the raven haired man, he sees a zombie on the page, ripping out a girls’ throat. Frank can’t help but let out a chuckle.

The man jolts, coffee spilling on the grass and cigarette falling from his lips. “Fuck,” he mumbles and puts his sketchpad down. “Can I help you?” He turns to Frank and cocks an eyebrow.

Frank frowns. “No I’m sorry. I just wanted to see what you were drawing.”

“Well great. Now you saw and spilt my fuckin’ coffee,” the man murmurs.

“I’m really sorry about that…” Frank says softly and looks at his camera.

“Yeah I bet.”

Frank chews on his lip. “Can I buy you another?”

“The closest Starbucks is a mile away,” he says and rolls his eyes.

Frank nods. “Well uh…” he stands awkwardly.

The man lets out a sigh and stands up. “Sorry, I was rude.”

Frank laughs under his breath. “Yeah.”

“How about I drive us to the nearest Starbucks and you buy me a coffee?” He says, smiling slyly almost.

Frank can’t help the blush that spreads ups his chest and onto his cheeks. This man is gorgeous, Frank’s never seen _anyone_ like that. Pale, pale skin and midnight hair. He’s got this little pixie nose. The man is in black sunglasses so Frank can’t really see his eyes, but Frank bets they’re gorgeous.

“I’m Gerard,” he says and holds his hand out. Gerard’s a bit taller than Frank.

“Frank,” Frank nods and shakes his hand. They’re big and firm, yet his fingers look fragile and white against Frank’s tattooed hand.

“Nice to meet you Frank,” Gerard says and leads him to his car.

 

*

 

When they get into the Starbucks, Gerard takes his sunglasses off and yeah, Frank was right. His eyes are this weird hazel jade and it gives Frank goose bumps all up his arms.

Gerard orders some fancy latte with some girly name. Frank nibbles on his lip as he orders just a black coffee.

“Black?” Gerard cocks an eyebrow. “Pretty boring for a man covered in violent tattoos.”

Frank chuckles. “Pumpkin spice with extra whipped cream is a little preppy for a man in all black.”

Gerard smirks and sips on his preppy drink. “Touché.”

 

*

 

When Frank finishes his coffee he looks at Gerard. “This… fuck this is gonna sound so weird but uh, you didn’t happen to be in Paris two years ago did you?”

Gerard pauses drinking his too happy coffee and looks at Frank. “I was…”

Frank’s eyes went wide. Well he knew. He knew that Gerard is the man in the picture but for some reason it did shock him. “Wait really?”

“Yeah. I was visiting my fiancé.”

Frank nods. “Why was she in Paris?”

” _He_ was French,” Gerard says and cocks an eyebrow.

Frank blushes. “Oh sorry.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well uh because I was in Paris two years ago and well I’m a photographer-”

“So you said,” Gerard interrupts.

Frank narrows his eyes. “I _am_.”

“Okay…” Gerard laughs.

“Anyway,” Frank takes a breath. “I took this uh picture and you well you happened to be in it and the picture sold for a lot of money and-”

“How much?” Gerard interrupts _again_.

“A lot. That’s not the point. The point is-”

“Will I get any money?” Gerard asks in the middle of Frank’s sentence.

Frank sighs a little too dramatically. “ _No_.”

“Then why are you telling me?”

“Because I want you to model for me,” Frank blurts out. “Because I accidentally took this fucking gorgeous photo of you just _smoking_ and fuck it sold for $9,000.”

“Ha!” Gerard smiles.

Frank blushes. “Do you want to see it?”

“Of course.”

 

*

 

Frank gives Gerard directions to his house. They get in and Gerard looks around. “How many kids?”

“One,” Frank smiles.

Gerard looks over at one of those cheesy family portraits hanging on the wall. “Your wife is very pretty.”

Frank nods. “Yeah she is. This way,” he says and leads Gerard back to his office.

“You have a darkroom in your house?” Gerard asks, opening up the door next to Frank’s office.

“Yep.”

“Wow…” Gerard smiles.

“Here it’s uh,” Frank slips through one of the portfolios. “No wait,” he grabs a different one and smiles. “Here.”

Gerard takes the binder and looks down at the picture. It is gorgeous. “You should’ve sold it for 10.”

Frank laughs. “Oh really?”

Gerard looks up at Frank and smiles. “Really.”

 

*

 

After about twenty minutes of looking at Frank’s photos, his phone rings. “Fuck, fuck,” he mumbles and answers. “Hey babe-” he stops and Jamia starts yelling that he’s two hours late. “Babe I’m on the way okay? Yes I’ll be there any minute,” Frank says before hanging up.

“Gotta go super dad?”

Frank smiles. “Yeah,” he says and hands Gerard his card. “Call me whenever because I’d really like you to model for me.”

Gerard runs his thumb over the name Iero. “Eyero?”

“Eye-ear-oh,” Frank corrects.

Gerard nods. “I guess I will Mr. Iero.”

Frank bites his lip. “Okay,” He says and walks Gerard out.


	2. Chapter 2

It’s about two weeks later when Gerard calls Frank and tells him when he’s free. Now Frank is dusting his studio. He hasn’t had anyone come to his studio in a while. Plus, Frank is a little anxious, not knowing why exactly. For some reason Gerard just kinda makes his skin crawl and blood hot, _thick_.

There’s a knock and Frank tosses his dust rag into the closet, jogging to answer the door. When he opens it, Gerard is looking right at him, no sunglasses to hide those piercing jade eyes. Frank gulps.

“Come in,” Frank says and opens the door wider to let Gerard in. Gerard just strolls in, hips sashaying. Not that Frank was looking at his hips. Okay _maybe_ just a glance because his hips are slim and his body is just fragile.

But he was only looking for photography purposes, of course.

“So how does this modeling thing work?” Gerard asks, looking around the studio. It’s a small studio, only about 700 square feet. But Frank’s got it set up perfectly.

“You just ya know pose and I take pretty pictures,” Frank nods and shrugs.

“So you think I’m _pretty_?” Gerard says, voice rich and suddenly low. He says it almost mockingly, yet his lips curl sensually up into a smirk.

Frank cocks a knowing eyebrow. “Yeah.”

And he’s guessing Gerard wasn’t expecting that answer, because his face softens into a genuine smile. “Thank you,” is all he says.

 

*

 

Frank’s got Gerard sitting on a couch, posing for something that looks like it would be in Vanity Fair. Frank teases him a bit, but ends up taking a lot of really great pictures.

“Do I look pretty Frankie?” Gerard teases and looks over Frank’s shoulder at some of the pictures as he flips through them on his laptop.

“Oh very,” Frank laughs.

 

*

 

They do about three hours of shooting and one hour of eating Chinese takeout. Gerard talks all about his art, which is totally rad because he just draws violent comics and people’s throats being ripped out and Frank is _so_ on board with that.

“So you like horror movies?” Frank asks.

“Oh yeah,” Gerard cackles and that’s just a downwards spiral into an hour long conversation about makeup and special effects.

“I’ve always wanted to be a special FX makeup artist,” Frank confesses, cheeks pink.

“So why photography?” Gerard asks and finishes chewing an egg roll.

“I don’t know… Something about it. Plus I’m great,” Frank laughs and sips on his soda.

Gerard nods. “Yeah you made me look pretty,” he winks.

“When are you ever gonna live that down?” Frank huffs.

“Probably never!” Gerard laughs.

Frank opens his mouth to tell Gerard to fuck off but his phone rings.

Frank picks it up. “Hey babe,” he says. Jamia yells about the time and “why the fuck do you need to be out at 10 at night to take fucking pictures.” Frank frowns. “Jay I’ll be home soon okay? I just lost track of time,” Jamia yells a little more and Frank frowns. “Okay I love you,” Frank tells her and she repeats it.

“Gotta go super husband?”

Frank laughs. “Yeah. Thank you for coming.”

“You’re welcome,” Gerard winks.

 

*

 

Frank kisses Jamia when he gets home, whispering how gorgeous she is but Jamia isn’t having any of it. She pushes Frank back and tells him she’s going to sleep.

They haven’t had sex in almost a year.

Maybe after having the baby she just doesn’t feel sexy. But Frank always tells her how much she turns him on and how gorgeous. Maybe that’s not enough.

Or maybe it’s Frank. He’s gained a couple pounds and gotten some love handles but that doesn’t make him unattractive, does it?

He frowns and showers before crawling into bed next to Jamia. Frank tries to hold her but she sighs and pulls away from his arm.

 

*

 

“I think my wife is cheating on me,” Frank says to Gerard, blowing smoke out his mouth.

“Yeah?” Gerard looks at Frank, those stupid Ozzy Osbourne sunglasses covering his eyes.

“Yeah,” Frank ashes out the cigarette. “She won’t have sex with me, let alone kiss me.”

Gerard shrugs. “You said you have a kid. Maybe she’s going through the whole ‘I got fat’ thing.”

“But she’s just about down to the same weight,” Frank frowns. “Maybe it’s me?”

Gerard shakes his head. “I don’t think so. You seem like a good husband. But maybe you work too much?”

Frank looks at the burning end of his cigarette. “Probably,” He mumbles.

 

*

 

But when Frank takes a week off, Jamia tells him it’s a stupid idea and that he should go back to work. She lectures him about how they need money and he can’t just take random days off.

“Jamia I want to spend more time with you and Cade,” he whispers.

“Too bad. I’m taking him to see my mother,” she snaps and walks out with Cade.

 

*

 

Frank doesn’t see Jamia that week, so he decides to spend Friday and Saturday at Gerard’s shitty apartment. They spend Friday watching mind-numbing movies and getting drunk.

“No but you’re like, you’re like seriously pretty,” Frank nods and sips on his fifth beer.

Gerard laughs. “I fuckin’ know shit face.”

“No but seriously, seriously like if I was drunk enough you’d be a really pretty girl.”

“Until you’d have my dick in your mouth,” Gerard looks at Frank, face serious and it says a chill up Frank’s spine.

But he busts out laughing. “No!” He squeals. “I’m s-sorry if this is offensive but I could never suck dick.”

“But it’s okay for your wife to suck your dick?” Gerard replies, eyebrows raised.

“My wife’s never given me head,” Frank says and rolls his eyes.

“Probably because it’s gross as fuck!” Gerard laughs and throws popcorn at Frank.

Frank kicks at Gerard. “Maybe. I don’t know what’s so appealing about that anyway.”

“You’ve never gotten a blow job?”

“No I have but like why would you wanna?” Frank shrugs.

“Why do you like going down on girls?” Gerard says slyly.

“Touché,” Frank nods.

 

*

 

The next morning Frank wakes up and he’s lying on Gerard’s couch. He yawns and looks over to see Gerard walking out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist and hair dripping. Frank’s eyes travel over Gerard’s skin, pale and smooth. Frank briefly wonders what that white skin will look like with purple hickey’s everywhere.

Frank blushes and rolls away.

 

*

 

When Frank gets home on Monday, Jamia really isn’t there. She isn’t answering her phone either.

Frank makes himself some pasta and eats it.

 

*

 

“Haven’t seen her in a week,” Frank tells Gerard over the phone. “Or Cade.”

“ _That’s not right. Can’t you call the police or_ something?"

“Why would I call the police on my fucking wife?” Frank asks, exasperated.

_“Hey man, you called me.”_

“Yeah I know.”

_“Why don’t you come over?”_

“Aren’t you sick of seeing me?” Frank laughs.

 _“You’re kinda pretty as well Frankie, I won’t get sick of seeing you anytime soon,”_ and then Gerard hangs up and Frank is left with a dead line.

His heart races as he drives to Gerard’s.

 

*

 

Gerard opens the door and smiles wide. “Come in,” he tells Frank and opens the door wider.

Frank walks in and something feels different. The air feels a little tense, high strung. Gerard is moving around him and heads to the couch.

“Something’s different,” Frank tells Gerard.

“Yeah,” Gerard laughs. “Your wife is probably getting boned by another guy.”

Frank looks at Gerard, blood boiling. “What the _fuck_ did you just say?” He seethes.

Gerard turns and looks at him. “You heard me Frankie.”

Frank steps closer. “No sorry I couldn’t hear you from way over there.”

Gerard steps closer until they’re about a foot apart. “I said your wife,” Gerard nods to make sure Frank understands. Frank’s lips curl and he narrows his eyes. “Is having some other guy _fuck_ her. Hard I bet. I bet he does it better than you and I bet she gives him head.”

The next thing Frank knows is that his fist has collided with Gerard’s jaw and Gerard’s head snaps back. Gerard stumbles a little and looks at Frank. “Feel good?” He smirks.

“You’re fucking sick. I bet you get off on this shit,” Frank seethes, fists balled.

Gerard steps forward and crowds Frank up against the beige wall. “Maybe I do?” He whispers.

“Get the fuck off me. I’m not a _fag_ ,” and god Frank has _never_ used that word _ever_.

But Gerard laughs. “That word doesn’t hurt me because I’m not in sixth grade anymore.”

And the next thing that happens Frank wasn’t expecting. Gerard’s got Frank pinned against the wall and he’s kissing him hard, hands all over his chest. Frank protests, mumbling and groaning against Gerard’s lips, but Gerard isn’t taking his protests. He just kisses Frank harder, tongue pushing its way into Frank’s mouth. Frank pushes at Gerard’s chest but to no avail.

The kiss starts to soften and Frank finds himself kissing back, hands gently on Gerard’s chest and Gerard’s hands on Frank’s hips.

When Gerard pulls away, it’s with a sloppy wet sounds that make Frank shiver.

“What the fuck…” Frank blinks.

Gerard leans close and flicks his tongue against Frank’s earlobe. “ _Fag,”_ he whispers.

Frank swallows hard and pushes Gerard back, watching the taller man stumble back. Frank grabs his shoes and makes a beeline for the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that probably moved a little fast, but I lose motivation when writing really easily! I'm sorry!


End file.
